Paul Recounts His Conversion^(A)

^12 (B)“While thus occupied, as I journeyed to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, ¹³ at midday, O king, along the road I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who journeyed with me. ¹⁴ And when we all had fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ ¹⁵ So I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. ¹⁶ But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, ^(C)to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. ¹⁷ I will ^[a]deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, ^(D)to whom I ^[b]now send you, ^18 (E)to open their eyes, in order ^(F)to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, ^(G)that they may receive forgiveness of sins and ^(H)an inheritance among those who are ^(I)sanctified^[c] by faith in Me.’

Paul’s Post-Conversion Life

¹⁹ “Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, ²⁰ but ^(J)declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do ^(K)works befitting repentance. ²¹ For these reasons the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. ²² Therefore, having obtained help from God, to this day I stand, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than those ^(L)which the prophets and ^(M)Moses said would come— ^23 (N)that the Christ would suffer, ^(O)that He would be the first to rise from the dead, and ^(P)would proclaim light to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.”

Agrippa Parries Paul’s Challenge

²⁴ Now as he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, ^(Q)you are beside yourself! Much learning is driving you mad!”

²⁵ But he said, “I am not ^[d]mad, most noble Festus, but speak the words of truth and reason. ²⁶ For the king, before whom I also speak freely, ^(R)knows these things; for I am convinced that none of these things escapes his attention, since this thing was not done in a corner. ²⁷ King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you do believe.”

²⁸ Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian.”

²⁹ And Paul said, ^(S)“I would to God that not only you, but also all who hear me today, might become both almost and altogether such as I am, except for these chains.”

³⁰ When he had said these things, the king stood up, as well as the governor and Bernice and those who sat with them; ³¹ and when they had gone aside, they talked among themselves, saying, ^(T)“This man is doing nothing deserving of death or chains.”

³² Then Agrippa said to Festus, “This man might have been set ^(U)free ^(V)if he had not appealed to Caesar.”